Columns

When Life Forces You to Pause, It’s Best Not to Argue

If I’m being completely honest — and when I started this column, that was one of my initial promises and intentions — I’ve been struggling lately. But complete honesty doesn’t automatically equal complete transparency, and grief is an emotion so wholly personal and raw I still don’t feel…

Finding Your Identity in Matters of Life and Death

I’m thankful to be alive. I was supposed to leave this world before I was 10 years old. At least, that’s what the data suggested when I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) back in 1997. Much has changed since then. I like to think my own stubbornness, my…

Let’s Maintain Hope, Even When History Repeats Itself

I recently watched the 2021 remake of “West Side Story.” It was my first viewing of the musical, a surprising twist if you’ve read my columns. In short, I’m obsessed with musical theater and its parallels with the cystic fibrosis (CF) community. “It’s like ‘Newsies,'” I said as…

How I’m Healing From PTSD Caused by Medical Trauma

I used to think my medical trauma was normal. Doesn’t everyone with chronic illness go through traumatic experiences and not talk about them? When therapists helped me understand that I don’t need to have fought in a war to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), my perspective changed. It turns out…

I Must Use My Energy Wisely, but Use It I Can

When my body feels like it’s running on fumes and I’m in need of a pick-me-up, I watch the musical comedy “Once Upon a Mattress.” The story, which famously starred Carol Burnett in various roles on Broadway, follows a selfish queen, her adult son, and the affected kingdom. The…

How I Cope With Loneliness While Living With Chronic Illness

Living with chronic illness is often a lonely road. Born with cystic fibrosis (CF), I’ve often struggled with isolation, feeling alone, and living a different lifestyle from most people. Before joining my disease community, I thought I was the only one. Thankfully, I’ve developed skills for coping with…

‘My Shot’: What It Means to Be a Survivor

My family and I were finally able to see the Broadway sensation “Hamilton” live on stage at the Durham Performing Arts Center in North Carolina. I’d already seen the pro-shot film on Disney+ and memorized the entire album before that. Still, getting to a live show has been a…